Product Integration & Firmware Development Engineer

Cisco Germany is seeking a Product Integration & Firmware Development Engineer to join our Optical Transceiver Engineering team in Nuremberg, developing next-generation 100G+ optical modules that power global cloud and AI infrastructure.

Meet the Team

Our Optical Engineering team in Nuremberg is at the forefront of designing, integrating, and delivering high-speed optical transceiver modules operating at 100G/lane and beyond. As cloud data centers and AI/ML clusters demand unprecedented bandwidth, our team bridges the gap between optics, high-speed mixed-signal silicon, and embedded firmware to power Cisco's world-class routing and switching platforms. We are a multidisciplinary, hands-on group of product integration, optics, hardware, and firmware engineers who work closely with global partner teams while maintaining end-to-end local ownership in our Nuremberg laboratories. Joining us means shaping the foundational electro-optic technologies that connect the modern digital world.

Your Impact

As a Product Integration & Firmware Development Engineer, you will operate at the critical intersection of hands-on electro-optic lab bring-up and embedded software development. You will take ownership of end-to-end product integration for next-generation optical transceiver modules, turning complex interactions between high-speed user-data path silicon, optical devices, and microcontrollers into robust, production-ready modules. Operating with a high degree of autonomy, you will lead cross-subsystem bring-up, investigate complex physical-layer behaviors in the lab, and present clear technical summaries to cross-functional engineering teams from early prototype stages through ramping up volume manufacturing.

Key Responsibilities:

• Drive Product Integration: Integrate high-speed electrical and optical components processing user data-including DSPs, SerDes, forward error correction (FEC) engines, laser drivers, laser diodes, photodiodes, Transimpedance Amplifiers (TIAs), and module controllers-to ensure optimal optical link performance and reliability.
• Architect & Develop Embedded Firmware: Design, implement, and maintain high-reliability embedded firmware in C (and C++) for microcontroller- and ASIC-based controllers within optical modules.
• Implement Device Diagnostics & Control: Develop low-level device control, system monitoring, diagnostic routines, fault handling, and management interfaces compliant with CMIS (Common Management Interface Specification) and applicable SFF standards.
• Lead Prototype Bring-Up & Root-Cause Analysis: Perform hands-on board bring-up in the lab, debug cross-domain electrical, optical, and firmware anomalies, and methodically investigate performance and interoperability issues during design verification.
• Autonomous Technical Communication: Independently synthesize complex multi-domain test results, document architectural decisions, and effectively present technical findings and project status to cross-functional and global manufacturing stakeholders.

Minimum Qualifications

• 5+ years of hands-on professional experience in embedded software development using C (and C++).
• Proven track record developing firmware on microcontrollers and controllers for hardware diagnostics, device control, and interface management with ASICs and external components.
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or equivalent practical experience.
• Hands-on proficiency with low-level communication protocols (I2C, SPI, UART, MDIO), reading schematics and component datasheets, and using embedded lab equipment (oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, JTAG).
• Demonstrated ability to work autonomously, lead technical problem-solving investigations, and summarize and present complex project details clearly to cross-functional teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience developing firmware with a Real-Time Operating System (RTOS) in resource-constrained environments.
• Domain knowledge of optical transceivers (100G+ per lane), coherent optics, high-speed SerDes, DSPs, or optical monitoring subsystems.
• In-depth understanding of optical management and communications standards, such as CMIS (Common Management Interface Specification), SFF specifications, and Ethernet protocols.
• Proficiency in Python or similar scripting languages for test automation, lab instrumentation control, and systematic data analysis.
• Background in Design Verification Testing (DVT), product qualification lifecycles, or manufacturing test

Why Cisco?

At Cisco, we’re revolutionizing how data and infrastructure connect and protect organizations in the AI era – and beyond. We’ve been innovating fearlessly for 40 years to create solutions that power how humans and technology work together across the physical and digital worlds. These solutions provide customers with unparalleled security, visibility, and insights across the entire digital footprint.

Fueled by the depth and breadth of our technology, we experiment and create meaningful solutions. Add to that our worldwide network of doers and experts, and you’ll see that the opportunities to grow and build are limitless. We work as a team, collaborating with empathy to make really big things happen on a global scale. Because our solutions are everywhere, our impact is everywhere.

We are Cisco, and our power starts with you.